Brothers In Arms: As the Bluebird Flies
by silverphyrbyrd
Summary: Two years out of the twentysix in BiA from the moment Modo met his wife till they married. A lot of things changed for the growing mice, and for Throttle, Vinnie, Stoker and the other Freedom Fighters, too... Finally FINISHED! Woohoo!
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Yes, this does have a lot of the same stuff as the original Brothers in Arms story. It's not a sequel, it's a supplement. A detail, covering two years out of the original twenty-six. There will probably be more - who knows, eventually we may be able to make a full-length novel out of my version of pre-Once Upon a Time on Mars events. And this one's a romance. At this point, Stoker is forty-seven, Throttle sixteen, Modo nearly seventeen and Vinnie fourteen. Blue is not quite sixteen and Harley is a year younger than Vinnie. This is also the first time in a while I have put up the first chapter before I have finished the whole story, but I'm reasonably confident of finishing so I guess that's OK. Reviews welcomed, constructive criticism welcomed even more - you know I love that sort of thing.

CHAPTER ONE

_Seven years ago_

It was sure to happen eventually. So far the only ones to be taught personally and regularly by Stoker were Throttle and Vinnie, because he was bringing them up; and Modo, because Flare and her children were practically part of this mismatched family now. But one of the trainers was reporting a problem student, who wouldn't be disciplined and wouldn't be taught.

'Sounds like prime Freedom Fighter material to me,' said Stoker, when he heard.

'But she's disrupting the class,' said the tutor. 'She's... arrogant. Says we're underestimating her. Keeps picking fights.'

'Hmph. Maybe she is a problem student, then. So _are_ you underestimating her, Beamer?'

Beamer gestured wildly. 'I don't know! Maybe we are - she's certainly talented in some areas. But she has no concept of teamwork. She keeps saying she can rely on herself.'

'Who's her family?'

'Her mother died in childbirth. Her father was captured just over four years ago and is still missing. She's been a disruptive element in the nurseries ever since - eleven is far too old to go into the nurseries, I've always said. But there was nothing else to do.'

'Yeah... OK, I'll have a look at her. I'll bring the boys, if she's as disruptive as you say they ought to know.'

xx

The girl was standing in the middle of the training yard with four targets around her and a dart gun in each hand. As Stoker and his students watched, she fired in quick succession behind her, in front, to either side, to right angles, to the opposite right angle - she hit bullseye every time. She had fur the colour of slate, her short hair was so black it had blue lights in it and her eyes were hard and dark as sapphires.

'Blue, right?' said Stoker.

'Yeah,' said the girl, firing into each target in quick succession.

'You wanna stop practicing and talk to us?'

'Nope.' She crossed her arms behind her head and fired into the target behind her.

'What's up, kid, I ain't done nuthin' to you.'

'Right. You ain't done nuthin' for me, either.'

'What's up with _her_!' muttered Throttle, coughing to cover the sudden peak of his voice. Modo's voice had broken a year ago and now it was Throttle's turn; he had been trying to say as little as possible to Carbine for the past month.

'You're a good shot, ma'am,' said Modo.

Blue spared him a cursory glance. 'Yeah,' she said. 'I am.'

'Beamer says you want a challenge, kid,' said Stoker. Blue stopped shooting and appeared to listen for the first time.

'You think you can teach me something?' she said.

'Well, I dunno. We can try. You gotta agree to learn, though.'

'Hey, you can teach me something and I will listen till the ducks come home.'

'Good. In that case we just gotta decide if we need you or not. Guys?'

Stoker turned to the boys. Throttle looked surprised, opened his mouth, shut it again and nodded.

'She's pretty, she's welcome,' said Vinnie, grinning. Blue snorted.

'Uh, yeah,' said Modo uncertainly. 'Sure. Great.'

'Well, that nails it,' said Stoker. 'Welcome to the class, Blue. Hope you're up to it.'

When Stoker and the boys turned up in the training yard the next day, she was waiting for them, leaning on her bike and looking expectant and slightly cynical.

'An eager student, wonders never cease,' said Stoker with a smile. 'Morning, Blue.'

'Morning,' said Blue. 'So... what've you got?'

'Easy there, one thing at a time. Let's have a look at your ride first.' Blue stood back and Stoker inspected her bike. Training bikes were brainless and almost always at least second-hand, and this one appeared to be no exception. The only unusual thing about it was the beautiful indigo and grey paint job. 'Trailblazer Calibre, looks pretty good. More replaced parts than normal, though,' said Stoker speculatively. 'Who did you get it from? Flash?'

'Yeah. He said it'd had two owners before me and normally it would've gone for scrap but there was a shortage.'

'Yeah, and Trailblazers're Flash's soft spot which explains the pretty paint. Still, I guess everyone's gotta have a hobby.' He poked the front forks and straightened up. 'Nice bike, for a trainer. Now we gotta find out what you can do. We know you're a good shot - how's your riding?'

'Getting better all the time.'

'That's the spirit.' He looked round at the boys leaning on the wall, watching. 'Hey, soldiers, form up - we gotta test this rider.'

Vinnie grinned. 'Target time trial?' he suggested.

'Don't see why not. You guys set up, you know the rig. C'mon, why don't I see movement?' Vinnie muttered something as they started setting up the trial, but Stoker ignored him. 'OK, Blue, this is just a little test, the boys've been using it to decide who buys the drinks - you get those first three targets, sharp right turn, two more targets, one eighty to the next row, two shots either side - hey, Rookie, tighten that circle!' Throttle made no comment, but moved the targets he was setting up in a ring at the end of the square.

'And don't think I don't know what you were doing!' Stoker turned back to Blue. 'Throttle's been losing more lately 'cause his turn's not so tight. OK, where were we? Oh, yeah - finish that row, turn in the ring, go back and do it again. Lose points for knocking targets over, gain a point each for fastest time and shortest stop. Think you can do it?'

'Wanna see them do it first.'

'Fairy nuff. OK, you heard the lady - Throttle, you first. Catch.'

Throttle caught the dart gun tossed to him and started the run. He got all the bullseyes but knocked over two targets on the three sixty turn and one of the returning one eighty.

'Eleven point seven two seconds. Eighteen bullseyes, three lost tip points, not your best ever short stop - fifteen of twenty. Could be seventeen if this lot do really badly.' Stoker marked the line where Throttle's bike had stopped. 'Modo - you're up.'

When Modo and Vinnie had both finished, Blue was feeling a little less confident as she went to the start line. She ripped through the route, screeched to a halt, looked back at the course, down at her back wheel and then up at Stoker.

'Twelve point six three,' he said. 'Eighteen bullseyes, four tip points lost. OK, so let's see, that's one to Vinnie for fastest time, one to Modo for shortest stop... Modo, you got seventeen, you win. Throttle and Vinnie tied for middle place and Blue, fourteen, you get to buy the drinks.'

'But they've all been doing it for - how long?' protested Blue.

''Bout a year 'n' a half,' said Modo.

'Yeah,' said Vinnie. 'You don't like it you get better, sweetheart.'

She turned on him with a glint in her eye. 'Oh, I will. And I'll whup your shiny white ass.'

'Yeah? Well, why don't you try?'

'Good idea, Punk,' said Stoker. 'But let's keep it civilized, we ain't rats. I hear you're quite a fighter, Bluebird. At least, I hear you start a lot of fights. Do you win?'

Blue shrugged one shoulder unconcernedly. 'Sometimes.'

'Sometimes ain't good enough. But hey, what do I know, haven't seen you yet. Vinnie, you and Blue in the ring.'

Blue looked surprised. 'We've got to knock each other out?'

'In your dreams, kid. Down and hold 'em for five. That's all. OK, move it!'

In the ring of targets, Blue looked the stringy white teenager up and down. He was taller and heavier than her, and probably stronger, but she'd be willing to bet she was faster. As soon as she heard the signal she dropped and kicked his feet from under him. He fell, but rolled and flipped back up in a single fluid movement. She dodged an attempt to grab her arm but wasn't ready for the punch that followed and staggered back a few paces, startled but not really hurt. She shook her head and threw a punch - he was ready and caught her fist. Her elbow locked. She narrowed her eyes and broke the lock, throwing Vinnie off balance and before he could recover she kicked him hard in the gut. He doubled over, winded, and she kicked him in the back of the leg. He fell and she dropped onto his chest, preventing him from rising.

'One, two, three, four five,' she said. 'All done, Whiteass.'

'Interesting,' said Stoker. 'You heard me say "keep it civilized", right?'

'Sure,' said Blue, getting up. 'That's why I didn't kick him in the balls.'

'Uh-huh. Just keep to stuff that I won't have to get the medics in for.' Stoker turned his attention to Vinnie, who was just getting to his feet. 'You OK, Punk?'

'Yeah,' said Vinnie, holding his stomach. 'Ow, though...'

'We'd better call it a morning. You got potential, maybe we can make a Freedom Fighter of you. See you later.'

xx

'So what'd _you_ think?' asked Modo. He, Vinnie, Throttle and a case of root beer had retreated to a small cave behind the Freedom Fighters' headquarters. It would have been a crush to fit five people inside, but for these three it was a good place to get away and discuss things.

'Not sure,' said Throttle. 'Doesn't look too stable.'

'Damn straight,' said Vinnie. '"Whiteass" - who the hell does she think she is?'

'You're just mad _'cause_ she beat you,' said Throttle, his voice cracking a little.

'I could beat her, I was just being nice. She won't get that next time.'

'What was that all about, anyway?' said Modo. 'Nobody _did_ anything to her.'

'I bet she doesn't need an excuse. Little psychopath.'

'Ah hope she lightens up.'

'Yeah, me too,' said Throttle. 'Dunno _that_ she will, though...'

xx

It was a month later and Blue had shown no sign of slacking off yet. The time trials had become a fair fight surprisingly quickly, and the instant it had been established that the new student had no idea about tactics at all she had started working so hard that Stoker had had to tell her to pull back a little before she made herself ill. The main problem was that her fighting was getting dirtier than ever and she seemed to take pleasure in making Vinnie's life a misery.

Stoker, Modo and Throttle were watching another fight in which Blue had become a focussed streak of malice the instant she'd stepped into the ring and Vinnie had had to concentrate so much on defence that attack wasn't an option.

'She's gonna kill him,' murmured Throttle.

'Kinda makes you wonder why coach don't stop 'em,' replied Modo.

'Cause one of these days Vinnie'll learn to beat her,' said Stoker. Modo looked guilty, he hadn't meant Stoker to hear him.

'One two three four five!' yelled Blue triumphantly, releasing her hold on Vinnie's throat. 'Four nil this week, Whiteass!' Vinnie muttered something unintelligable as he got to his feet.

'Don't use that kinda language of a lady, Punk,' said Stoker cheerfully.

'Man, look at him,' said Throttle, even quieter than before. 'Y'know, I was startin' to think of this class as a team... Guess I was wrong.'

Modo nodded, but didn't say anything, mostly because Stoker was talking to them now. 'OK, winner goes through - who's next? Modo - let's see if you can get over this fear of fighting women.'

Modo stepped into the ring and Blue smirked at him. The first time they'd fought she'd beat him easily because he'd seemed afraid to touch her and it hadn't been getting much better.

'Your momma told you not to hit a lady?' she said happily.

'Yeah,' said Modo. 'Thing is...' His eyes narrowed. 'You ain't acting much like a lady.'

'This is war, Sunshine,' said Blue. The signal came and she kicked for the head. Modo caught her ankle in one hand, flipped her onto her stomach and held her there for the count.

'Yeah, this is war,' he said in her ear. 'An' you need some new moves.' He let her roll over and held out a hand. Blue looked surprised, but let him help her to her feet.

'Well, that was fast,' said Stoker. 'Nice work, big guy.'

'Yeah,' said Blue, looking straight at Vinnie. 'Wow, a challenge. Makes a change.'

'If you're gonna bitch I'll make you two do stunt runs tomorrow,' said Stoker absently. Blue's gaze dropped and Vinnie looked slightly happier. 'Anyway, I got real war stuff to do, so the lot of you can clear off and I'll see you tomorrow. For god's sakes stay out of trouble, I got enough to deal with without yanking your tails outa the fire.'

'Right,' said Blue. 'See you.'

'I need a drink,' said Throttle. 'Come on, Vinnie, I'll treat you. Modo?'

'In a sec,' said Modo. 'Be right back.'

It didn't take long to catch up with Blue. She turned in response to her name and waited for him to reach her, but she didn't look more than indifferent at the sight of him.

'Hey, Modo. What's up?'

'Nuthin' much. You OK?'

'Fine, thanks. Listen, cut to the chase - you guys never try and talk to me outside lessons unless there's a reason or a drink. What do you want?'

Modo looked startled. 'Ah... Ah came to ask if you'd lay offa Vinnie.'

Blue rolled her eyes. 'Yeah, thought it might be that. Look, if you think I'm gonna let him beat me 'cause he's the youngest, you've got another think coming.'

'Ah didn't mean that.'

'Yeah? What did you mean?'

'You gotta make him feel so bad all the time? Ah mean, it was funny the first coupla times but now it's startin' to feel like watchin' someone pullin' the legs off'f a spider.'

Blue was silent for a second, looking sidelong at Modo. 'It really looks like that, does it? Huh. Well... OK, I'll let up. That all? OK, see you tomorrow.'


	2. Chapter 2

-1Author's notes: Just a couple of things to clarify this next bit: one, I started to clarify the normal course of bike training - normally, a freedom fighter would get their first non-AI bike at 13 and replace it with an AI training bike at 16. The training bikes are the ones which can't be sold for one reason or another - mostly personality problems (what, these are AI bikes, of course they have personalities) so they're used for training. At 18 the trainee would switch this bike for the one which is then called their own. Vinnie was a fast learner - he was after all in a specialist class with three other students all older than him - and he gradutated to AI bikes a year early. Two, I don't know what an ice cake is. I just needed some sort of Martian confectionery - every civilization has something to indulge the sugar intake. I had in mind French fancies, coconut ice and several kinds of _barfi_, but you should use your own imagination.

CHAPTER TWO

_Two months later_:

Throttle reached across the breakfast table and poked his foster sibling with his spoon.

'Hey, bro - why the long face?'

'Nuthin',' said Vinnie, distractedly.

'You're not eatin' anything.' Vinnie glared at him and pointedly continued eating his breakfast. Throttle considered for a moment, then continued. '_I_ think you're hacked off 'cause Blue's startin' battle bike classes today and you'll be left behind. That it?'

'_No_.'

Throttle grinned. 'I think it is! C'mon, she's not so bad these days, is she?'

'Still calls me Whiteass,' grumbled Vinnie.

Throttle shrugged. 'So? She calls me Crazyface but it don't mean nuthin'. Look, bro, I'll tell you a secret - don't tell Stoke I told you this 'cause he'll hang me from my tail off the cave roof if he hears, but he said that the way you're going you're gonna be starting battle bike trainin' a year early.'

Vinnie's face lit up at the news. 'What? No way!'

'Yes way - c'mon, now, would I lie to you?'

'I dunno, there was that time-'

'That wasn't a lie, that was a trick, it doesn't count. Anyway - eat up, we're gonna be late. Birthday classes, y'know...'

Blue came into class so excited she could barely sit down, but calmed down pretty quickly when all four of the others hugged her at once.

'Wow,' she said, rubbing her bruised ribs. 'I think next time I might not tell you when my birthday is...'

'Too late, I already know,' said Stoker. 'Sixteen, huh? Bluebird's growin' up.'

'Yeah,' said Throttle. 'AI trials today! You join the battle ranks!'

'I know,' Blue bit her lip in girlish glee. 'I can't wait!'

''Fraid you gotta,' said Modo. 'We're waitin'-' At that moment the roll-up door at the end of the training yard opened and Flash came in on one of the AI training bikes.

'Sorry I'm late,' he said breezily. 'Were you waiting for me?'

'Yeah,' said Stoker. 'But the birthday girl hasn't exploded yet so I guess you're here on time.'

'Great.' Flash's eyes settled on Blue and his face lit up. 'Hey, and there's the blue-skied birthday babe! Come get a load of this, I brought you the sweetest ride I could find!' He hugged her suddenly, knocking all the air out of her, and turned to the bike, which was purring gently. The training bikes were the ones which, for some reason or other, couldn't be used in battle - sometimes you got one which wouldn't shoot at living creatures or which was jumpy or unstable or had some other undesirable personality trait. As a result, after training, most young mice found their first battle bike a walkover by comparison. This one was slightly smaller than most, but it didn't look fearful or wary at all. This could be thought of as ominous in a training bike.

'So,' said Stoker over Blue's shoulder. 'What's the catch with this one?'

'No catch,' said Flash, smiling innocently.

'There's always a catch,' said Throttle. 'Mine's over-protective and Modo's is twitchy - if there wasn't a catch it'd be a full-scale battle bike.'

'No personality problems at all,' said Flash. 'None that matter, anyway.'

'Ah,' said Vinnie. 'Knew we'd get there eventually. C'mon - spill.'

'It's... too enthusiastic. I thought it'd work well with Blue here 'cause she might be able to keep it in line - it used to belong to a guy called Shrapnel and it wouldn't stay in formation.'

'Yeah, I heard about that,' said Stoker. 'I wouldn't call that a problem that doesn't matter. Still, this is just the training stage. What do you say, Bluebird? Gonna try it?'

Blue walked up to the bike and knelt down beside it. Nobody heard what she said to it, but it revved suddenly, as if startled, and she stood up. 'We'll give it a go,' she said. 'I don't think there'll be any problems.'

The trial started simply and got faster and more arduous as the hours passed - calling, commanding, racing, jumping, doing stunts and manouvers and excercises in memory, obedience, agility and ability. True to Flash's word, the bike tended to get carried away and over-excited, but Blue simply barked a command at it and it slowed instantly.

The final trial finished with Blue running along an obstacle course with the bike keeping pace beside her, then catching her as she jumped before stopping at the finish line. It was done perfectly, and as it screeched to a halt in front of her watchers, Blue was panting heavily but her smile almost threatened to take the top off her head.

'Amazing,' said Flash.

'Eighty-three per cent,' said Stoker. 'Very well done, that girl.'

Blue punched the air, threw an arm around Modo's neck and hi-fived Vinnie. 'I did it, I did it!'

'Yeah,' said Flash. 'Except - what did you say to the bike?'

'Told it I'd fill its tank with hydrochloric if it didn't behave.'

Flash winced. 'Ooh, nasty mind you got there, girl. Not sure I'm comfortable leaving one of my bikes with you.'

'Don't worry about it. It's going to be a good bike now, aren't you, sweetie?' She patted its handlebars and it beeped hastily. 'And for that I'll take the very best care of it you could wish for.'

'Well... OK, then. You just make sure I don't feel bad about giving you a real bike in two years. Listen, guys, I gotta go. Happy birthday, Blue.'

'Thanks, Flash - bye!'

The door rolled down behind the head mechanic and Vinnie shook his head. ''Course, _we're_ all used to you sayin' stuff like that. We know you'd never do it.'

'No you don't, you just know I haven't needed to yet,' said Blue calmly. 'Whew, that was hard work. I need a drink.'

'Good idea,' said Stoker. 'Come on, I'll buy - birthday treat. Let's show the guys in the bar that bike of yours.'

'OK, battle class this morning,' said Stoker. 'Sorry, Punk, you're going for extra bike maitinence with Flash.'

'But-'

'But me one more time and I'll whup your tail so hard you won't be able to sit for a week.'

Vinnie subsided. Stoker made warnings like this on a fairly regular basis, and though he had made good on his threat on only a couple of occasions, and under extreme provocation at that, it wasn't an experience either Vinnie or Throttle wanted to repeat.

'Don't worry about it,' said Throttle. 'Hey, you'll get to be the greatest mechanic in the base at this rate.' Vinnie grumbled something intelligible.

'You're tryin' my patience, Punk,' said Stoker. 'Get outa here, maybe you'll get more sympathy from Flash or that pretty little apprentice of his.'

Vinnie slouched out, resentment radiating from every pore. Flash and Harley were waiting for him at the bike shed when he got there, and Harley's face broke into a big bright beam when she saw him. The smile vanished when she saw his expression.

'Hey, Vinnie, what's up? You sick or somethin'?'

'Yeah,' said Flash with a grin. 'Bad case of green-eye. Too bad, Vin, this sort of thing happens when you're the youngest. Come on in, we can at least stop you getting bored.'

'I doubt it,' said Vinnie.

'Well, come in anyway. Stoke gave us ice cakes for break time, and he says to tell you if you don't stay in line, you don't get any. How's that sound?'

'Ice cakes? The yellow ones or the pink ones?'

Harley laughed. 'Both. You gonna be good?'

'Hell, yeah - what've I gotta do?'

'I always said nine tenths of teenage persuasion was bribery,' said Flash amiably. 'We're changing the shocks on this Excelsior Goldbird. Turns out it's the limited edition 600X model so it doesn't take the usual type. Know what to do?'

Vinnie looked at the bike on the stand in the middle of the floor. It was fresh in, making little worried noises and turning its wheels backwards and forwards.

'First of all it needs AI inhibitors... type 7B?'

'Good one. Go get 'em, then - Harley, you prep the neurorods.'

xx

By the time Flash called break, the Goldbird had its shocks replaced, a Trailblazer Marsrover had been given a new exhaust and a vintage Phobos Whiplash 50 had been brought in, examined and sadly declared no use to anyone except as spare parts. Vinnie's bad mood had vanished and he, Harley and Flash were all filthy to the ears and very ready for their break.

Flash passed him a root beer and opened the box on the table. 'You put in a good morning, Vinnie. Oo, lookie here, we got the kind with the little silver sprinkles...' He waved the box of ice cakes in Vinnie's direction.

'Oh, man - Stoker, I forgive you...' said Vinnie, taking one. Harley's hand snaked round from behind him and sneaked a cake out of the box.

'Pink ice cake, happy happy happy!'

'Easy there, Harley, we got two each,' said Flash. 'So Vin, I guess we're gonna be seeing more of you now Blue's got her battle bike?'

'Yeah, I guess so. Unless Stoke decides I gotta fill in on medic and com classes and all the rest too.'

'And if he does, you'll be able to justify that ego of yours. More to life than AI bikes, though it pains me to say it.'

Vinnie was in a much better mood when he got home that night. It didn't last long, though - the others got back half an hour later in a noisy swirl of activity and mutual praise, Throttle, Blue and Modo arm in arm and singing 'Bat Out of Hell' at the tops of their voices and in wildly different keys. As they came through the door Throttle and Modo hoisted Blue up onto their shoulders and Throttle cried, 'OK, Little Sis, solo time!'

'Aaaaaand like a sinner befooooore the gates of heaven, I'll come rollin' on back toooo _yoooouuuuuu_!' howled Blue, waving her arms in the air and trying to compensate for the unstability of her perch. She jumped down, all three laughing hysterically, and they stood aside to let Stoker in.

'You three stopped singing?' he said. 'Thank the gods for that. I definitely deserve the first shower for putting up with that rigmarole all day.' He vanished into the bathroom.

'Take it you had a good day, then,' said Vinnie shortly.

'What, and you didn't?' said Blue. 'C'mon, don't give me that, Stoke said you got ice cakes. _We_ didn't.'

'Hmph.'

'Hey, bro, come on, it can't have been that bad,' said Modo.

'Yeah,' said Throttle. 'I mean, you were hanging out with Flash and Harley, they're not exactly the worst company on the planet.'

'I'm supposed to be in _this_ class,' said Vinnie.

'You are,' said Throttle.

'Oh, I've had enough of this,' said Blue impatiently. 'You think you've been sent down? You think you're not good enough? Bullcacky. You're as good a stunt rider as me and when you get to be my age you'll be much better - hell, you'd be much better already if you could only get your head out of your ass. So quit raining on our parade, OK?'

'Oh, it's all about _you_ is it?' said Vinnie. 'Want me to shut up and sit down while you have a good time? Fuck that.'

'It has _never_ been all about me, you self-important prick! I have at least been _trying_ to get along with you guys, and well, it's just like you to ignore every nice thing I say, so fuck you.'

'Yeah? _And_ your dad.' Even Throttle had to admit Vinnie asked for the punch, loaded with all Blue's rage, strength and weight. There was a _crack _and his nose started streaming blood.

'You _dare_ say _one thing_ about my dad-!' screamed Blue. Vinnie brought his hand away from his face bloody.

'You _bwoke_ it, you _bitsh_!' he said, and jumped at her. They rolled over and over, throwing punches and kicks in an unsophisticated display of rage and frustration, leaving a trail of blood across the floor.

'We better stop this,' said Throttle.

'Right,' said Modo. Throttle waded in, grabbed Vinnie by the back of his neck and hauled him off Blue, who jumped to her feet.

'Great, just hold him for me-' she said, but Modo caught her from behind, wrapping his arms around her. She struggled a little, then froze. 'Bastards.'

'Just helpin' out,' said Modo. 'Bro, you better get my momma to look at Vinnie's nose, Ah'm not sure Ah can let this one loose yet.'

'Let me go, Modo. I'll be good.'

'Biker's honour?'

'Biker's honour.' Modo released her. She stepped away and brushed herself down, examining herself for possible future bruises. She had blood from Vinnie's nose on her clothes, but apart from a busted lip and what would become an impressive black eye, she was largely uninjured.

That was when Stoker came back into the room. When he saw the blood he stopped wringing the water out of his hair and sighed heavily. 'I leave you lot alone for five minutes... OK, what happened? Throttle?'

'Vinnie and Blue were arguing and then he said something about her dad so she broke his nose and then-'

'Yeah, I can see the "and then". Anyone called Flare yet?'

'We were just about to.'

'Then get to it. Phobos and Deimos, just when I think the problem's sorted out. OK, I hoped I wouldn't have to say this.' Stoker turned to Vinnie and Blue. 'You two - Biker brawls are one thing but if I ever catch you treating each other like rats again, then you're out of this class. For good. I mean it. Say "yes, Stoker".'

'Yes, Stoker.'

'Yesh, Shtoker.'

'I guess that'll do...'

xx

Vinnie came home from the medibay with his muzzle wired and strict instructions not to get in any more fights for the moment, so he was relegated to Flash's class for the duration of his convalescence anyway. When Flash heard Vinnie's version, and then Throttle's less biased version, he just said 'Serves you right.' But it didn't take that much begging to make him promise not to tell Harley.

Harley knew anyway. She'd got a less edited story from Blue, having asked her about the origin of the prize shiner she was sporting.

'So... you broke his nose and he gave you that? What did he say?'

Blue shrugged. 'Something about my dad. Forget it, it's not important.' Seeing as Vinnie didn't seem to want to talk about it either and Harley was an obliging soul, the subject was dropped.

When Vinnie got the wires removed and permission to come back to Stoker's class, his dealings with Blue were... tentative. Occasionally one of them would raise their voice to the other or a sharp word would pass between them, then Modo or Throttle would mutter 'Rats...' and both would stop, the hackles would go back down and the voices quieten. Gradually the tension started to ease off, and they started joking again, and the play fighting started to return, and even - to the chagrin of any observers - the dreadful singing. Soon it was almost back to normal again.

xx

Vinnie woke up on Modo's seventeenth birthday feeling as though he could conquer the world. He bounded into the kitchen and found Blue already there, talking to Throttle and Stoker.

'Good morning Mars!' he yelled.

'Morning, Whiteass,' said Blue noncholantly. 'Feeling good?'

'You betcha, sister - oh, man, what a morning! I'd forgotten we got mornings like this! Why don't we ever get 'em on _my_ birthday? And where the hell's Modo?'

Stoker laughed. 'Cool it, Punk, Modo's got a family to entertain before he comes here. I think Flare's plannin' something for him. You get somethin' to eat - you can't power all that hoppin' around on fresh air.'

Vinnie got breakfast in a whirl of activity, leaving a trail of cereal and milk behind him. Stoker rolled his eyes. 'Teenagers - hope you can spare enough of that energy to clean that up, kid.'

'Sure,' said Vinnie with his mouth full. Just then the door opened and Modo came in, to be instantly sprayed with milk as Vinnie shouted 'Happy birthday!' to him without swallowing his cereal.

'Yeah,' said Modo, wiping his face. 'Thanks, bro.'

Stoker rolled his eyes. 'Look, Punk, go finish that over there and don't say anything till you're done. Go, now!' Vinnie grinned and scuttled off to the corner of the kitchen. Stoker lowered his pointing finger and turned back to Modo. 'Where were we? Oh, yeah - happy birthday! Aren't you supposed to be home till after lunch?'

'Momma said she'd bring it here if that's OK,' replied Modo.

'Gee, let me think...' said Stoker with exaggerated caution. 'Don't be stupid, of course it's OK. Siddown. Hey, Rookie, did you drink the last root beer?'

'Don't think so,' said Throttle, thumping Modo on the back. 'I'll go see. Careful, Blue, you want to kill him?'

'I can see it now - cause of death, suffocation due to extended hugging,' said Stoker dryly. Blue, who had engulfed Modo the second he'd sat down with a cry of 'Birthday huggies!' sat back.

'So, what time's your mom coming over?' she said.

''Bout noon,' said Modo. 'Says she's bringing Silver and the twins too. Y'all sure this is OK? It's gonna be quite a gatherin'.'

'More the merrier,' said Stoker dismissively.

It did turn out to be quite merry. Silver arrived first, with the twins in tow, and you could hear her noisy pre-teen entourage arguing from several hundred yards away. When the door was opened the argument practically fell into the room.

'-If _you_ ever did anything _interesting_ you might have more friends, but-'

'I got loads of friends, you... you _fish_!'

'What? Hey, Momma, didja hear what he called me? Fire, you horrible, boring, goody-goody-'

'_OK_!' Silver's voice dropped into the conversation like a steel bar on a traintrack. 'That's _enough_! We're in someone else's house an' you will be _good_, the both of you! _Is that quite clear_?' There was silence, and both twins nodded. Silver looked over their heads at the surprised occupants of the room beyond and beamed. 'Sorry 'bout that, y'all. Rimfire, Primer, go say hello.' The twins obeyed, and Stoker got up, hugged them tightly and stepped past to Silver.

'Hey, Silver.'

'Hi, Stoke.'

'Nice stop. I normally have to threaten mine with GBH.'

Silver laughed. 'Yours're both boys, and they're older,' she said. 'Also... no.' She stopped, as though deciding against saying what was on her mind.

'What?'

'Well... they're _not_ yours, really. You got 'em aged five an' six, someone else got 'em for the forming years.' She smiled. 'It's probably a good thing. Ah can't see you with a baby, Stoke.'

He smiled softly, watching Vinnie, Blue and Primer arguing about the merits of charged contact weapons versus projectiles at the tops of their voices.

'No,' he said. 'Well, that was a long time ago. You want a drink?'

Flare arrived soon after, bearing a large box, which she placed in the middle of the table and carefully dismantled to reveal the biggest ice cake any of them had ever seen.

'Oooo,' said Primer.

'Wow,' said Stoker. 'Now I know why you wanted me to keep Modo here all yesterday. How'd you manage to get it done before he got in?'

'It was close,' said Flare, pleased. 'You like it, Modo?'

'Like it?' said Modo. 'Oh, Momma...' Lost for words, he hugged her till she begged for air.

'Can't breathe!' she gasped, but she looked happy as she held out the knife. 'Gonna cut it, son? Like my dear old white-furred daddy always said, eat it while it's fresh.'

The ice cake vanished like frost on a desert morning, but the noise and activity only seemed to increase with the sugar intake. Blue wasn't used to so many people at close quarters all at the same time, so after a while she slipped away.

Outside, the street was deathly quiet by comparison - there were people everywhere but not all of them yelling at each other within ten yards of her. She sauntered round to the bike bay, where there were no people at all. Her bike greeted her enthusiastically and she smiled, picked up a rag and started to polish it.

'Hey, Blue.' She jumped, turned around. Modo was leaning on the wall, watching her.

'Modo!'

'You ran off.'

'Um... yeah. It all got a bit much, you know? Nothing personal, just...'

'Too much of someone else's family?' said Modo. Blue nodded. 'Yeah, 's OK.'

'They're all very nice. You're very lucky.'

Modo smiled. 'Don't Ah know it.' There was a pause, then Modo appeared to reach a desicion. 'Hey, Blue - why don't you ever talk 'bout your dad?'

She didn't look at him, just concentrated on cleaning the bike. 'Dunno. Because he's not here, I suppose. Nobody ever really asks, do they?'

'He might still be alive.'

'Modo - don't. If he's alive he's either forgotten all about me or he wishes he was dead. So it's easier that I think he's dead. So... seventeen, huh?'

Modo could take a hint if it was delivered with the force of a twelve-pound lump hammer. He changed the subject. 'Yeah, seventeen. Gettin' mah own battle bike next year. Can't say Ah'm not gonna miss this one, though.' He patted his bike on its seat.

'Oh, really?' Bue grinned at him. 'If I recall correctly, Modo, less than a week ago you said you'd give anything for a bike that, what was it, "didn't jump the god-damned gun" - yes?'

'Ah guess, but you get attached, don't you? An' anyway, we came to an understandin'.'

'The kind that involves welding torches in sensitive places?'

'That kind of understandin', yeah.'

Blue rolled her eyes. Modo would never do anything to hurt a bike in a million years - it must have taken quite a lot even to threaten one. Still, if it worked... 'Whatever turns your wheels, big guy. Speaking of which, I gotta change a tyre, could you give me a hand here?'

Modo went over and lifted the back of the bike so she could prop it off the ground, and they worked and talked together in busy contentment for the next half hour before going back to the noisy house and the remains of the ice cake.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: Thankyou everyone for the nice things you've been saying about my stuff - here's the next bit. This story is turning out to be longer than the original Brothers in Arms...

Anyway, I have started to note the bike types I use in my stories - all Trailblazers are non-AI bikes, the generic-looking bikes ridden by most of the mice are Sylver army-commission bikes in their various types and the Martian equivalent of Harley-Davidson is the Merito. You want a comprehensive list? Then say so in your review and I'll send you one.

Also - Modo was obviously not born in America, so that accent must come from somewhere else. Right? Find out where...

CHAPTER THREE

_Six years ago_

The shouting could be heard inside the medibay long before the source of the voice actually entered.

'_Put me down, you idiot, I can walk, you know I can walk, you-_' There was a short silence, then a barrage of screamed abuse and the door opened revealing a mangled and deeply unwilling Blue in the arms of Modo, who looked almost scared of his load.

'Well, we know she's alive,' murmured Machete to Flare. 'I'll deal with this, honey. You can kill her later for calling your son those names.' Flare fled, and Machete marched up to the patient. 'So, what happened?'

'Bike crash,' said Modo. 'She was-'

'Hey, I _can_ talk!' snapped Blue.

'We know,' said Machete blandly. 'Well?'

'Racing Vinnie,' said Blue sulkily. 'Hit a patch of oil. Make him put me down, I can walk.'

'Not on that leg you can't. Looks to me like a break. You're not being independant, you're being _stupid_. This way, Modo.' Machete stalked off down the hall.

'Woah,' said Blue. 'Takes no prisoners, does she?'

Modo didn't reply, just followed and laid Blue carefully on the bed where Machete pointed. The medic ran an X-ray gun over Blue's leg and nodded. 'Fractured femur. We'll put a cast on it and you'll have to stay here for a while, heaven help us.'

'Sorry Blue,' said Modo. 'You're gonna have to let someone care 'bout you for once.'

Blue sighed heavily. 'Daddy would hate to see me like this.'

'You think so?' said Machete. 'Your father would rather you were cured, my girl. Modo, can you make sure she doesn't escape while I get my kit?'

'Uh, sure, ma'am,' said Modo. Machete strode out, leaving them alone.

'One of the things my daddy told me before he left was always to make sure I could rely on myself,' said Blue.

'Yeah, but he didn't mean you had to stop relyin' on anyone else at all.'

'Easy for you to say. _You've_ got family. People who care about you.'

'Yeah, but...' Modo stopped.

'What?'

'Well, Ah was gonna say you got people that care about you too.'

'And you didn't because you know I haven't.'

'No. Cuz you have.'

'Oh, yeah? Who?'

'Yeah, that's why Ah didn't wanna say it. Ah didn't want you to ask me that.'

Blue propped herself up on her elbow with a little difficulty and stared at him. He didn't meet her eyes. 'Well, Modo, I had no idea.'

'Yeah, well, now you do.'

'Yeah. Um. Well, alright then, I'll do you a deal. I will stay here in this medibay and be as good as gold until the medics say I can go. But.'

'But?'

'But you have to come and visit me _every_ day. Promise?'

Modo looked startled, but Blue was smiling. After a moment he smiled back. 'Yeah,' he said. 'Ah promise.'

xx

The following day, Blue was already filling the medibay with complaints - about the food, the boredom, the company, the weight of the cast, the bed, the toilet arrangements and anything else she could think of to rant about. Eventually Flare lost her temper.

'Enough!' she said. 'Any more of this and you'll be on family-only visitin' till you go home!'

'I don't have any family,' said Blue sulkily.

'Well, that's where you're wrong, Bluebird,' said Stoker cheerily, ambling in without bothering to knock. 'Morning, Flare. Got the boys outside, can we come in?'

Flare sighed. 'Normally Ah'd say no - but sure, go ahead. Maybe y'all can stop her moanin'.' She turned and left, with an air of thankful surrender.

'Hi, guys,' said Blue as Vinnie, Modo and Throttle practically fell into the room. 'Good to see you. Stoke, what're you talking about? I don't have any family.'

'Course you do! _We're_ your family! Embarrassing stories and all!'

'Right,' said Vinnie. 'And you can't get rid of us, either...' he cackled evilly.

Blue rolled her eyes. 'Oh, gods... Yeah, that sounds like family to me.'

'Can we sign your cast?' said Throttle.

'What'll you write?' said Blue, warily.

'"To Blue, the best adopted sister a mouse could ask for".' He flashed her an innocent smile.

'Yeah, right. No, you can't sign my cast. I can see it now: "This space for rent", maybe, or "To Throttle, IOU five washing ups, signed Blue".'

'Hey, I hadn't thought of that, nice one,' said Vinnie. 'Modo, what'd you write?'

'"To Blue - Sponsor of Acme road cleaners",' replied Modo, flashing her a grin.

'What?' cried Blue. 'You-' She chucked a pillow at him. He fielded it easily and hung on to it. Blue frowned at him. 'C'mon, Modo, give me my pillow back.'

'Extra ammo? Not a chance, darlin'.'

'Pleeease?' she smiled and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Stoker sighed theatrically. 'Modo, give her her pillow back, I can't bear such a pathetic display.' Modo laughed and tucked the pillow down behind Blue's back. There was... something... in the moment of closeness, but it passed, and neither said anything.

'Anyway, if we're done with the clowning around-' began Stoker.

'What, this family?' said Vinnie. 'Never!'

'What, even for cookies?'

'OK, I'm done clowning.' Stoker placed the box on the bedside table and there was a long and sugary silence. Blue reflected, with her mouth full, that this family might not be the one she was born with, but it didn't make a bad second choice.

xx

Blue was asleep when visiting time came round the following day, but the click of the door closing roused her. At first she thought no-one was there - if Stoker and the guys had come there'd be a lot more noise than just a click - but then she saw Modo just turning to leave.

'Modo - I'm awake, don't go,' she said, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

Modo turned around. 'Ah'm sorry, did Ah wake you up?'

'Sure, but if it's visiting time then I should be awake anyway, right? Not much to do round here but wait for visitors. Where are the rest of the crowd?'

''S just me today. Throttle and Stoke went to see Scabbard an' Vinnie decided he wants an extra bike tech class.'

Blue arched an eyebrow. 'This wouldn't have anything to do with Flash's rising star, would it?'

'Flash's... what?'

'The pretty little trainee mechanic with the curls.'

'Oh - Harley.' Modo grinned. 'Yeah, it prob'ly does, but you'd never get him to admit it.'

'Doesn't mean I can't tease him about it.'

'Blue, darlin', you'll give the kid a complex.'

'Um. Yeah, you're probably right.' She reached across and patted his hand. 'Good job you're around, really, or me and my big mouth might end up really hurting someone. So, you're on cripple-watch today, huh?'

'That's me - Saint Modo, visitin' the sick.' Blue made a sound halfway between a choke and a snort. 'What?' said Modo. 'What's funny?'

'You... I just had this image of you saying "blessings of Mars be upon you" like they do at the monastery, only in that funny Dire Valley accent... whoo, what an image.'

'What's wrong with mah accent?'

'Nothing. I like it. I just don't think you'd make a good saint, saints have to be calm and holy all the time. And I never heard of any saint who could punch through a wall. But you wouldn't be half as much fun as a saint, so don't you ever change.' She grinned. 'What's Dire Valley like, anyway?'

'Ah dunno, it was invaded just after Ah was born. Momma says it was a beautiful place but Ah guess Ah'll never see now. Ah only got the accent 'cause o' Momma and Silver.'

'Really? Oh... I'm so sorry.' Blue held out her arms; the hug was brief but then she turned her head a little and everything seemed to stop. Their faces were almost touching, it would take just a tiny movement...

The door opened and the moment shattered. The hug ended and they sat back as Flash entered the room. 'Hey, Blue Skies, how's the leg?' he said. 'Hi, Modo, you OK? Oh... Am I interrupting anything?'

'No,' said Blue and Modo together.

'Hi, Flash,' said Blue. 'Doing fine, Flare says I should be out in a day or so. Still with a cast, but what the hell.'

'I think you're very wise not letting anyone sign it,' said Flash. 'I broke my wrist a few years back and you know what my brother wrote? "Looks like you jerked it too much".'

Blue burst out laughing. 'This is Rocket, right? The big one?'

'No, it was Benelli - Rocky was in a blue funk for about an hour, said he wished he'd thought of it.'

'You're kidding - I didn't think Benny could think like that!'

'People have hidden talents, my girl.'

'Why do you call her Blue Skies?' said Modo, deciding it was time he made a contribution. 'Th' sky's red.'

'Here,' Flash dug around in his jacket pockets and brought out a slim case. Flipping through its contents, he produced a battered picture of a green field with a river and trees and, yes, a blue summer sky. 'Rocky brought that back from Earth. He says it's a great place and the fish haven't got there yet.'

'Isn't it pretty?' said Blue, craning her neck to look. 'We've _got_ to go there one day. Maybe when we're not needed here anymore.'

'I guess in that case we'll never be going,' said Flash, as Modo handed the photo back. 'You'll have to take her, Modo, I don't think I'll get a chance.'

'That'd be really nice,' said Blue. 'Don't you think?'

'Yeah,' said Modo. 'Ah do.'

xx

Blue was home within two days. Flare said that normally the tenants of the Halls where the graduates of the nurseries lived would be kept in medibay till they were completely better, but Blue just made too much noise and besides, Blue's roommate Beretta was a trainee medic and well used to her by now. She wasn't quite as used to the entourage Blue seemed to have accumilated, since Blue spent most of her time elsewhere. On the first day back, though, everyone was brought bang up to events.

'You're going to stay there and rest your leg if I have to nail you down,' said Beretta calmly.

'Yeah, and then you fail your med test,' replied Blue.

'Oh, I'm sure I-' She was interrupted by a thunderous banging on the door. 'Phobos and Deimos, who the hell's _that_?'

'Door's still intact and shut so it's probably Throttle,' said Blue. 'Well, open it, then. _I'm_ an invalid.'

Beretta scowled at her and opened the door. Throttle was there, so was Vinnie, but the one knocking was Stoker. Blue's eyebrows shot up. 'By the raging moons of Mars, Stoke, you actually learned to _knock_?'

'It's a lady's bower, I can't come barging in. And who is _this_ delightful young thing? Blue, you didn't tell me you had such lovely friends.'

'This is my roommate, Beretta. Berry, you know Stoker, right? And Throttle and Vinnie.'

'Of course I do, he's our fearless leader, isn't he?' said Beretta. 'Come in, don't just stand on the doorstep, fearless leader, don't you know it's bad luck?' She beamed at Stoker and held the door open while they entered. 'I'll just go and get some drinks.'

Vinnie waited till she'd gone before he said, 'Is she being serious?'

'What, her? Berry is very rarely serious,' said Blue. 'Hi, Whiteass, hi, Crazyface. Do I get a hug or what?' All three of them hugged her at the same time and she emerged from under the heap of large male bodies slightly rumpled but smiling. 'Whoo, you know how to make a gal feel wanted.'

'So, this is where you live, huh?' said Throttle, looking around the room. It had a stack of battered crates, one rack of miscellaneous weaponry and another of bike tools, and a lot of the kind of mess you get when someone in a hurry comes in, drops whatever they're carrying and goes out again. 'Nice place.'

'No, this is where I sleep and keep my stuff,' replied Blue. 'Mostly I live between your place, the mess hall and the bike shed. You want to see a nice place, you should see Berry's room.'

At this moment the subject of the last sentence entered the room with a crate of root beer in her hands. Stoker jumped to his feet and took it from her. 'Let me help you with that.'

'Why thankyou,' said Berry sweetly. 'My goodness, Blue, he's very helpful. Should I tell him I'm only eighteen?'

'Should I tell her I'm not deaf?' said Stoker.

'I don't think it'd make a scrap of difference,' replied Blue to both questions.

'I don't think it would either,' said Stoker. 'My dear Beretta, Blue seems to think I should see your room.'

'What?' Berry turned and smiled at Blue; one of those dangerous smiles that implied medical precision with sharp instruments if not appeased. 'And why would she think that, now?'

'Oh, that's a _nice_ smile...' said Vinnie.

'Throttle was trying to be nice about my room and I said if they wanted to see a nice room they should see yours,' said Blue. 'That's _all_. So please stop looking at me like that. Phobos, Berry, I know you scared all the firearms trainers but why'd anyone have to let you be a _medic_ instead?'

'Oh, they thought I'd learn the merits of preserving life.' She reached past Throttle and took a root beer, popping the top off with her thumb. 'I think they're regretting it now.'

'Why?' said Throttle.

'I learned one hundred and one fun things to do with bodily reactions instead.'

'Yeah,' said Blue. 'We were roomed together because I was supposed to be a calming influence. Imagine that. The sort of person for whom _I _am a _calming_ influence.'

'Ah, there were a few options. But I was the only person who could keep you quiet.'

'Sounds like a friendship made in heaven,' said Stoker. There was another knock on the door; this time it was Modo. A little later Stoker and all three boys left but Silver and the twins dropped by for a chat, and shortly after them came Flash and Harley.

Over the next few days Blue had a constant stream of regular visitors and Beretta only got any peace after she threatened to fit them all with rusty catheters unless they called before they dropped by. After that things calmed down a little and Blue settled down to recovery.

xx

'So, what exactly did happen with your firearms teachers?'

Beretta looked up. Stoker was leaning on a wall outside the medibay, clearly waiting for her, and the question had hit her practically in the face as she'd come out of the building.

'What?'

'I asked around but no-one will tell me. They just say you were ten. Now, how is it that you managed to get kicked out of the firearms class at ten when they don't even let you pack real iron till you're fifteen?'

Berry shrugged. 'Well, to start with it was the laugh.'

'The laugh?'

Berry threw back her head and cackled gleefully at the sky, eyes wide and wild and teeth glinting, black hair tossing around her; the display was uncontrolled and slightly demonic, and then it stopped just as suddenly as it started. 'Like that. Apparently if I do that when I'm holding a gun it scares my own side.'

'Yeees,' said Stoker. 'But the laugh alone doesn't explain it. Laughter is OK for a ten-year-old.'

'Yes, but then they heard me discussing at great length and in extreme detail the various ways of killing someone with a paint gun.' She grinned. 'I suppose it might've still been alright if I hadn't then tried to demonstrate.'

Stoker raised an eyebrow. 'You tried to kill a fellow student-'

'No, I just got a little carried away describing a theory, that's all. We're on perfectly amiable terms now. You can ask him if you like. You know Sprint?'

'The one who became a computer programmer?'

'It isn't _my_ fault he's deaf now, _I_ wasn't the one who shot his ears full of paint. Alright, it was my idea, but it wasn't me that did it in the end and it didn't work anyway.'

'So the training sessions got a little too unpredictable when you were around, is that it?' said Stoker, amused.

'That's right.' Berry's grin threatened to take the top off her head. 'And now they give me a scalpel and let me loose on the helpless. Don't it make you feel _good_?'

'I don't know. Ever tortured anyone before?'

Berry stopped dead, the smile wiped off her face. 'What kind of question is _that_?'

'A perfectly valid one, which I reckon I just got answered,' replied Stoker. 'Although one day I might take you on a mission, see if we can _really_ give those stinkers something to remember. But that's not really why I came to find you.'

'No?'

'Came to say I sent the boys round to your place to watch Blue; you want to come over for dinner tonight?'

The smile returned. 'Now I really should have seen that coming. Are you supposed to be fraternising with the troops, fearless leader?'

'What's the point of being a leader if I can't fraternise a bit?'

'What about the questionable morality of trying to land a girl nearly as young as your son?'

'Well, first of all he's not my son, secondly I think I should try while I still can.'

Beretta raised an eyebrow. 'Ah, but can you?'

'Mars, you're a tough one, aren't you? I guess I'll have to try plan B.' Before she could move, Stoker swept her off her feet and kissed her; her bag dropped to the floor and she would have pushed him off but he was an incredibly persuasive kisser and she found herself first thinking, OK, in a second, then, and then returning the kiss.

'I think I still can,' whispered Stoker. 'What do you think?'

'Yeah,' said Berry. 'You're probably right.'

He set her back on her feet. 'And so I ask again, do you want to come for dinner?'

'After that,' said Berry, dusting herself down and picking up her bag. 'I don't think I have much of a choice.'

xx

Silver picked up an empty root beer bottle and dropped it in the bin. For a moment the crash obscured the noises coming from the room next door.

'How long've you had to put up with that?' she said.

'About two days,' replied Blue. 'I must say Stoke was very quick off the mark. But to tell you the truth, he's just her type. She'd have started chasing herself if he'd hung around a while.'

'Berry's got a type?' Silver started picking up discarded clothing and sorting it into the pile of crates or the laundry box. There was a _thud_ as something heavy hit the dividing wall.

'Sure,' said Blue. 'I mean, she flirts a lot but that's just 'cause she likes to see 'em squirm. Find her a guy who'll push back-' There was another _thud_, '-figuratively speaking, and she'll chase 'em till the ducks come home. Man, I wish I had a radio in here... or a boyfriend. Silver, you really don't have to clear up my stuff.'

'Well, yes, Ah do, cause Ah'm keepin' you company and Ah don't wanna sit in a junkhole. Why don't y' have a boyfriend? There's gotta be loads of guys'd kill to be with you. Hell, Ah'm related to one of 'em.'

'Modo? You realise that's the first indication of that fact I've had since I got this thing fitted?' She thumped the cast. 'Your little brother is the cagiest mouse I know.'

'Naw, he's just shy. You like him?'

Blue grinned. 'Well, if I tell you, will you tell him?'

'Not if y' don't want me to.'

'Then yes, I do like him. He's sweet and funny and kind and cute and romantic and... oh, god... Silver, what am I going to do?'

Silver put the laundry box away and took Blue's hand in both of hers. 'Well, sweetie, since you asked, you gotta seize the moment for yerself, cause Modo's been taught that if there's one thing a gentlemouse don't do, it's take advantage of a lady. An' that's what he says y'are, honeychile, a lady. Bright an' beautiful an' shinin' like a star. So you gotta tell him what's buggin' you, and tell him hard, cause mah brother is nice as pie but man, he got one mighty thick head.'

'You think I should pounce him and give him a big wet soppy kiss?' said Blue.

'Don't sound too bad a plan,' said Silver. 'He'd get the picture.'

'OK. I was joking, but OK.'

The noises on the other side of the wall reached a loud and embarrassing climax. After a little while the joining door opened and a very dishevelled Berry sauntered through in her dressing gown, grinning widely.

'Hello, friends and neighbours,' she said. 'Got any root beer?'

'Hi, Berry,' said Blue. 'Having a good time? No, don't answer that. We heard.'

'Ahahaha,' said Berry.

'So, is it love?' said Silver.

'Don't be ridiculous,' said Stoker, appearing in the doorway in just his jeans and slipping an arm around Berry's waist. 'We're just having some fun, right, babe?'

'Right. No, we talked about this last night,' said Berry. 'I like it better this way.'

'Great sex and no emotional crap,' said Stoker, taking the root beer Berry handed him. 'Match made in heaven. Blue, I have no idea why you didn't introduce me to this girl earlier.'

'She only turned eighteen three months ago, Stoke,' said Blue wearily.

'Oh, yeah.'

'Now, are you just gonna stand there and be post-coital at me?'

'Nope. See you.' The door shut behind them and the lock clicked.


	4. Chapter 4

-1Author's Notes: End bit. Phew. A little longer than the other chapters, mainly because there was no neat break-off point. Anyway - thankyou all for the lovely things you've been saying about this story. Brothers in Arms is an ongoing series - next up should be Dog of War, although there's several others in the pipeline so don't quote me on that. And YES, for the last time, there will be a confirmation of what ultimately happened to Blue. That's all I will say, although I'm surprised and gratified at how well this character has been recieved. So yes - last bit. Enjoy, and please review - you know I love it!

CHAPTER FOUR

Eventually, the cast came off and Blue was pronounced in perfect health again. She started classes immediately, almost killing herself in her efforts to gain the lost ground, but after a while she settled down again. With Silver's advice ringing in her ears, she now had other fish to fry, and that involved getting Modo alone. It proved harder than she thought, but eventually she managed to get to Modo's house while Flare was out. Silver was there but she took one look at Blue, gave her a box of sodas and directed her to the roof.

Sure enough, Modo was there, a darker shadow in the darkness. She sat down beside him and put the box down. 'Hey, Modo. You come up here a lot?'

'Oh, hey, Blue,' said Modo. 'No, just when Ah need to think 'bout stuff.'

'Want to talk about it?'

'Not really. It ain't important.'

'Oh. OK.' Blue kicked her heels on the edge of the roof. 'So,' she said eventually, 'What's the gap between you and your sister?'

'Fifteen years,' said Modo. 'Why?'

'Wow. Seems a lot.'

'Yeah.' Modo passed her a soda and cracked one open for himself. 'There was another three in between but Ah guess that's war.'

'Oh...' Blue filled the awkwardness by concentrating on the soda for a minute. 'So... you trust her? You think she gives good advice?'

'Sure. Ah mean, sometimes she makes mistakes but gen'rally she knows what she's talkin' 'bout. Why, she been givin' you advice?'

'Yeah. Probably good stuff. You think I should take it?'

Modo shrugged. 'Ah dunno. Yeah, OK. Whatever you think.'

'Good,' said Blue, put down her soda and kissed him. He almost fell off the roof in surprise but was smiling strangely by the time she broke away.

'Mah sister tole you to do that?' he said.

'Um, yeah,' said Blue. 'She said you'd been brought up not to take advantage so I'd have to tell you hard to get it through your thick head. Crap, I shouldn't have done that... I gotta go...'

She stood up and Modo caught her wrist, not hard enough to stop her leaving if she wanted to go, but enough to make her pause. 'Blue,' he said. 'Wait up.'

'I...'

'C'mon, Blue, please - sit down, fill me in.'

'I thought I just did.'

'Ah got a thick head, remember? An' also Ah wanna know what mah sister said 'bout me...'

Blue sat down facing him, their legs stretched parallel. 'OK, then. First of all, it was your sister said you had a thick head, not me. And I was bitching about how you never _do_ anything and I never know what to think and she said you liked me and I'd have to move first. But I did and nothing's changed, what do you have to do to get something _done_ around here?' She finished with a snap, glaring despondently at her knees. A huge grey hand brushed her hair out of her eyes.

'Ah thought Ah wasn't your type,' said Modo.

'Yeah? Who did you think was my type? Throttle?'

'Well... yeah. Kinda.'

Blue sniffed. 'Well, you're wrong. You remember that fight with Whiteass when you had to drag me off? If it'd been Throttle or Stoke they'd've got a punch in the teeth but it was you and I sort of went wibbly.'

Modo shifted up so he was closer to her, and cupped her face in his hands. 'Ah'm not good enough fer you. Not in a million years.' He kissed her, gently, and she slipped her arms around him as he drew her into his lap. 'Ah guess someone up there must like me.'

'Hey, if they like you as much as I do I'll fight 'em for you,' replied Blue firmly.

Modo would have been perfectly happy to let the others go ignorant of what had happened between Blue and himself, at least for a while, but Blue didn't like to beat about the bush. The next day, she turned up at the training yard, greeted Stoker, Throttle and Vinnie as usual and then walked up to Modo and kissed him.

'Blue...' he muttered when they parted, 'You sure that was-'

'Shh,' whispered Blue. 'Wait.' She turned around. The others were looking at them, but not with any sort of surprise.

'Finally!' said Vinnie.

'Wait, how long-' began Modo.

'Oh, a few months,' replied Throttle. 'Face it, bro, you're not all that subtle.'

'So it finally happened,' said Stoker. 'Brilliant, maybe now you two ain't stalking each other you can concentrate on your classes a little more, though it's probably more likely that hell'll freeze over and the devil'll ski to work. So if you're done smooching, can we get started? I got a message last night I thought would make your day, Modo, but it looks like you got it made already.'

'Ah'm listenin',' said Modo.

'Throttle, you too. Flash called. He says he's got full-scale battle bikes for the both of you if I think you're ready.'

'Oh, man!' whined Vinnie.

'No way!' said Throttle, delighted.

'YES!' Modo turned and hugged Blue impulsively, lifting her off the ground.

'Ease up, loverboy,' said Stoker. 'You heard me say "if I think you're ready", right? And neither of you is eighteen yet.' The sentence washed over the exuberant young mice like a wave of ice-cold water.

'So... why tell us if you don't think we're ready, Coach?' said Throttle.

'Did I say I didn't? We got a full day today. We're gonna find out.'

The day was long, active, in some parts tedious, and by the end of it all five mice were exhausted. Stoker parked his bike, aware of being the focus of four pairs of expectant eyes. He pulled an electronic pad from his pocket and waved it in the air. 'OK, today you've done well. Worked hard. This is the record of your work from the past four years - strengths, weaknesses, the works. This, plus the results of today's tests, get to say whether you two get your bikes.' He scanned the pad intently for what seemed like forever. 'Strengths and weaknesses... Modo, combat's your best point, but I sure hope you never have to work alone cause your tactics ability is shot to hell. Stick with Throttle, it's his greatest strength. Throttle - you have _got_ to pick up on bike maitenance. You think Flash's gonna be around forever? You both got impressive bike control and communication, especially on such screwed up machines as Flash normally gives to the trainees... Gentlemen, it's close. But I think you're both through. Well done.'

'YES! _She rides_!' Throttle punched the air in triumph. There was no sound from Modo because Blue had tackled him and his mouth was occupied. Stoke looked over at Vinnie.

'You OK, Punk?'

'Yeah,' said Vinnie. 'Two more years, right? It ain't long.'

'That's the spirit.'

Flash inspected the training bikes for signs of damage. Modo's had come back almost in a better state than it had been to begin with, Throttle's appeared fine too. Then Flash's inspection turned up something that made him frown.

'Throttle, what's this?' he said. 'Partial neural inhibitors? Where on Mars did you get these?'

'Val put them on,' replied Throttle. 'She said it'd be OK.'

'Val's got no idea, then. Have you any idea how dangerous this could be in a battle situation?'

'Yeah, but it's a _training_ bike, Flash, it's not gonna _be_ in a battle situation. It was trying to stop me doing anything dangerous - you know how low my stunt run scores went? And do you know how dangerous it is trying to do a jump when your bike doesn't think you can make it?'

'Yes, but-'

Throttle sighed. 'The alternative was making it hate me. At least you can take the inhibitors off.' There was a reproachful silence. 'OK, I'm sorry. I really am. Do I still get the battle bike?' Flash glanced over Throttle's shoulder at Stoker.

'I gotta admit, that bike was givin' us some serious grief till we got Val to fix it,' said Stoker. 'I think he should get his bike. I already promised he would.'

Flash shot both Throttle and Stoker a hurt look; his bikes were his babies. 'This way,' he said. There were six bikes lined up against the back wall, gleaming new and beautiful. 'OK, boys - we've got three Meritos, a Deimos, a Brightstar and an Excelsior. Problem is, which one of these is your bike? Modo first.'

Modo had already chosen, and the purple and white Merito Peacekeeper #6 had apparently chosen him, too. He stepped forwards, eyes fixed on the large, low-riding machine, and it started up as he approached. There was an impression that if it had had arms it would have been reaching out towards him. The headlight turned on as he got into the seat and settled back.

'This one,' he said, smiling happily, and rode the bike out of the ranks to stop behind Throttle.

'That's what I like to see,' said Flash. 'Looks like the start of a beautiful friendship.'

'Yeah,' said Stoker. 'Kind of makes you think there oughta be music. Takes 'em all a different way, don't it, Flash? Remember Rocky?'

Flash snorted. 'Yeah.'

'What happened with Rocky?' said Modo.

'Oh, him and his bike spent six hours starin' each other down,' said Stoker. 'We knew it was a match after the first ten minutes but they just had to have their little contest. OK, Rookie, you're up.'

Throttle took a little longer to choose his bike, stopping in front of a green Brightstar Classic 1180, which cocked its handlebars inquiringly at him - but he shook his head and moved on. After inspecting each bike in turn he got to the end of the line and the Merito Classic Harleytype 3, all gleaming black and glittering chrome, and he stopped. The bike turned its handlebars to look at him, in the silence there was a tense moment of mutual inspection, and Throttle sank to one knee beside it, lost in a world containing himself and a bike.

'Well, you're a lovely little lady, aren't you,' he murmured. Flash opened his mouth to say something but Stoker waved him into silence. Throttle didn't seem aware that there was anyone else there at all. 'Want to come with me? We could be quite a team. I heard a lot of good stuff about bikes like you.' He reached out and stroked the petrol tank. The bike revved gently, like a purring cat. 'Man, I think you stole my heart already, you gorgeous creature. You be my girl, we could race Phobos across the sky...' The purring intensified. Throttle stood up and got into the seat, sliding his hands over the handlebars. 'Oh, _yes_... you and me, let's break some hearts...' He rode the bike out of the ranks and stopped beside Modo.

'Woah,' said Flash. 'That was _intense_.'

The spell broke. Throttle looked at Flash as though he wasn't sure how he'd got here. 'What?'

'Well done, Throttle - I am now no longer worried about giving you one of my bikes. You too, Modo - both of you look like you did pretty well today.'

'Yeah,' said Modo, patting his bike on the handlebars. 'It's been a real good day.'

A few days later, Vinnie was supposed to be helping Flash change the oil on one of the training bikes, but really they were talking as much as they were working.

'Of course I'm not _surprised_,' said Flash. 'Been waiting for those two to get their act together since Modo turned seventeen.'

'Yeah, that's what we all said,' said Vinnie.

'And she's not jealous of the bike? The big guy's got a ride that'll follow him to hell if he treats it right and I know he will, but sometimes when you got a girlfriend too...'

'Naw, he came in with the biggest smirk you ever did see, next I saw, Blue was on the back of the bike ridin' out towards Diskord and they didn't come back till after midnight. Stoke was about to send a search for 'em.'

Flash laughed. 'Young love, eh? Speaking of which - what about Throttle?'

Vinnie rolled his eyes. 'Don't ask. He'd sleep with that bike if he could. He's getting _stupid_.'

'I bet you anything you take that back when you get your own battle bike.'

Vinnie wasn't listening. The door opened and Harley walked briskly in. She was in a good mood, smiling and swinging her hips, her bouncing curls gleaming in the light.

'Morning!' she sang. 'Oh, Vinnie - I thought you were doing classes today, good to see you!' She skipped up to him and hugged him, then turned and hugged Flash as well for good measure.

'Morning, Sunshine, having a good day?' said Flash.

'You bet!' She paused. 'Hey, Flash, have I got something on my nose?'

'No, you're fine. Vin, didn't Stoke ever tell you it's rude to stare?' Vinnie coughed and dropped his gaze. It wasn't just the smile. It wasn't just the fact that Harley kept her overalls at the bike shed and usually turned up in lighter clothes. For the past few years this wouldn't have meant a thing, but Harley had been growing a lot of late, and starting to fill out the combats and vest top she habitually wore. And Vinnie had been growing too - he was fifteen now and puberty and raging hormones had smacked him in the face with all the subtlety of a nail bomb.

Harley didn't appear to have noticed. She took her overalls from the hook by the door and slipped them on. 'OK, then, what're we doing today?'

'Just gotta finish this oil change,' said Flash, winking at Vinnie. He found the whole thing vastly amusing. 'And then we gotta work on those blueprints Stoke was talking about the other day.'

'The tanglesprings? Right.' She came up and stood beside Vinnie. 'So how far have we got with this thing?'

'Not far. We were just yakkin'. Home stories, you know.'

'OK.' Harley looked up at Vinnie. 'You're very quiet, Vin - something wrong?'

'Nope,' Vinnie smiled. 'Now you're here everything's alright.'

Harley burst out laughing. 'Oh, Vinnie, you're so funny... Let's get working, then.' The pat on the back Flash gave him as he passed did nothing to make Vinnie feel any better at all.

_Seven months later_

'So, how's it going?' asked Silver. She and Blue were crossing the ground between the bike shed and Stoker's house arm in arm at a leisurely pace, talking nineteen to the dozen as they normally did when someone else was looking after the twins.

'Oh, fine,' replied Blue. 'Me and Modo're having a great time. He never _tries_ anything, but hey, we're young, there's time.'

'"Tries anything?"' Silver crooked an eyebrow. 'You mean... oh, honey, you want that kinda thing y' might have to marry him first.'

Blue looked startled. 'Really? Oh.'

'Sorry an' all that, we're an old-fashioned Dire Valley family.'

'Yeah, I knew that. Hey, hang on, didn't you-'

Silver waved a hand dismissively. 'Ah was stupid as all hell. Y'all shoulda heard what Momma said when she heard Ah'd gotten in trouble. Didn't get back in her good books till Tommy actually left.'

'Oh.' Blue shrugged. 'Well, like I said, we're young, there's time.'

'Yeah. But you're growing up, though.'

'Um. Modo was so excited last night. His first battle. Should I be worried about this, Silver?'

'Sure. Ain't you?'

'No. My boyfriend and two mice I think of as family are going to kill and maybe be killed, and I'm not worried. I wonder why?' They reached Stoker's house and opened the door. 'I mean, it's not as if Modo or Throttle have ever done this before.'

'First time for everything, Little Sis!' said Throttle, whirling past her in tremendous excitement with an empty holster in his hand. 'Vinnie! Where did you hide my gun?'

'Ah gotta go,' said Silver. 'Momma'll tan mah hide if Ah don't come get the twins when Ah said Ah would.'

'OK - bye, Silver.'

'Bye, y'all! Mars keep yah, boys!' The door slammed and Silver was gone.

'Blue!' Modo appeared in the doorway in fatigue pants and a t-shirt with a gunbelt in his hands. 'Darlin'! Just let me put this down...' Blue swallowed. Normally she would have taken a running jump into his arms but now... he actually looked like a _soldier_. She let him draw her close and buried her face in his chest. 'Darlin'? What's wrong?'

'Modo, you're gonna come home, right?'

'Hey, Bluebird,' said Stoker, coming in at that moment. 'Take her through to my room, Modo, you can talk to her in peace there.'

'Thanks, Stoke,' said Modo. The door closed behind them and he sat down on the floor, Blue curled up between his knees. 'Darlin', you worryin' 'bout me now? You were crowin' that Ah was gonna give 'em hell yesterday.'

'I know, I know. But now you're ready to go and it's all so... so real. I don't want to lose anyone else.'

Modo chuckled softly. 'You ain't gonna lose me, baby. Stoke don't take us rookies out on big missions. We're cleanin' up fer the Army again, there's gonna be so many mice there Ah prob'ly won't even get to fire. Ah'm gonna come home safe an' sound, so's Throttle, so's Stoke. Ah promise.'

'Don't promise, Fuzzie. That's stupid.'

'Ah never did say Ah was a genius.'

'Huh.' But Blue smiled back at Modo, and leaned up to recieve his kiss, and just for a while, everything was alright. They stood up, and she stood on tiptoe, kissed him on the nose and whispered, 'Go get 'em, tiger.'

Over the next few hours, the reassurance evaporated like frost on a desert morning. Blue paced the kitchen, waiting for their return and driving Vinnie insane.

'Alright!' he said at last. 'If you can't stop worrying at least sit down! Phobos, you're gonna have _me_ pacing next!'

Blue glared at him, then sat. 'I thought I'd be alright, I didn't think I'd worry this much - every ounce of common sense I have tells me it's all OK and they're not late-'

'Late? What's late for a battle?' said Vinnie.

'_I_ don't know! But I keep thinking they should have been back hours ago!'

'Sweetheart, if you can put _me_ on edge with all this fussing, you're seriously off your road. Calm down or I'm gonna get Flare to bring something to do the calming for you.'

'That's funny, you telling me to calm down.'

'Yeah, and it means you're going too far. Really, I mean it. No, chill or I'll call Beretta.'

Blue stopped dead. 'You wouldn't.'

'Wouldn't I, though? What's it gonna be, sister? Flare, Beretta or me?'

'I'll try my luck with you.' She sank her head in her hands. 'Aren't you worried about them at all?'

'Nope. Not yet,' said Vinnie. 'I saw the latest weapon blueprints.'

'What, they've got a new weapon? Can they use it right?' Blue's eyes widened in panic.

'Chill, Blue, nothing to it. They're tanglesprings, they just gotta be dropped. Even your man can't get that wrong, right?'

'I guess.' Blue laid her head on the table and wrapped her arms around her ears. After a while Vinnie sat down beside her and put a hesitant hand on her back.

'It's gonna be fine,' he said quietly. 'They're all gonna be just fine. OK?' There was a movement as Blue nodded, but didn't raise her head. Suddenly there was the sound of engines and she sat bolt upright, almost knocking Vinnie over, and listened for the voices. At first, just the roar of the bikes, then an intelligible chatter - Blue stood, tense, trying to distinguish one voice.

'Blue - they won't be in for at least ten minutes yet, they've got to debrief,' said Vinnie, rubbing the spot on his forehead where she'd hit him. 'They're fine, will you _listen_ to me for once?'

The answer was apparently no, because she stood there until the door opened. Modo hardly had time to step through before Blue dived at him and kissed him, making him step back a pace or two in surprise.

'You're alive! Are you OK? No blood - no, no blood - thank Mars...'

'Cool it, Bluebird, you think I'd put him in front ranks on his first mission?' said Stoker, rolling his eyes. 'He ain't even scratched. Hey, Punk, you wanna tell Harley those tanglesprings work a treat, or shall I?' Throttle smirked at them but took Modo's helmet from his hand on his way through, leaving Modo and Blue alone in the porch. Now he had both hands free, Modo picked Blue up; she wrapped her legs around his waist and sighed happily.

'Why'd you worry so much 'bout me?' he asked. 'You knew Ah'd be OK.'

'I don't know. Just being silly, I guess. Maybe I've got unaddressed abandonment issues.' She laughed lightly. 'Next time I'll be fine. Now I've seen you go and come back again, everything'll be OK.'

'Right,' said Modo, walking so Blue's back rested on the wall of the house. 'Cuz you got somethin' Ah'd fight a whole army to get back to.'

'Glad to hear it,' said Blue. 'Now shut up and kiss me, Fuzzie.'

Blue threw herself into her work with almost as much gusto as she had after breaking her leg. She rearranged her timetable, cutting out some of her firearms classes so she could take extra medical classes, a move which startled everyone. All her friends knew how much she loved her gun lessons, and she'd never shown a particular love of medicine, but she seemed to be trying to aquire one.

'Ah don't know what's got inta her,' said Flare. 'Ah think she thinks effort an' concentration c'n make up fer total lack of patience an' the most appalling bedside manner Ah ever saw.'

'It's bad?' said Stoke. The two of them and Flash were sitting in Flare's kitchen, discussing the progress of their collective trainees.

'Beretta's is better, an' Ah had people askin' me to keep the psycho with the funny smile away from 'em. But if'n they need her she c'n be sweet as sugar. Blue just ain't got the people skills.'

'But she's been goin' hell for leather in bike tech as well,' said Flash. 'It's drivin' me and Harley crazy. What's she doing it for?'

'Tryin' to do her bit?' said Flare. 'Ah dunno. Stoke, honey, you're gonna have to ask her. She might tell you somethin' she wouldn't tell us.'

Stoker shrugged. 'I doubt it, but I'll give it a shot.'

Blue's busy schedule meant that Stoker had to ask her to stay behind after classes the following day before he could talk to her. She sighed irritably, but stayed.

'What's up?' she asked.

'Wanted to ask you the same question,' said Stoker. 'All these extra med lessons - you ain't no angel of mercy, Bluebird. What's on your mind?'

Blue turned to go. 'Nothing.'

'Hold it right there, my girl. Flare said to say you're running yourself ragged again. Don't make me put a curfew on your working hours.'

Another heavy sigh. 'OK, I'll revise my timetable.'

'Attagirl. We worry about you, you know.'

Blue looked back and smiled, but she said nothing and then ran off. Stoker shook his head. Definitely something on her mind. Lying was up there with nursing and tactics on the list of things Blue wasn't good at.

They found out what it was a couple of battles later. Blue had been obviously feigning coolness all through both of them, but then Modo came home with his left leg soaked in blood from the knee down. Blue took one look and let out a screech that made even Stoker, who had been among sirens and bomb blasts for much of his life, grimace and cover his ears.

'Phobos, Blue, what the hell's _that_ all about?' he said. Blue didn't answer, just dragged Modo off to the nearest chair and took a first aid kit out of a cupboard. Understanding dawned on Stoker's face. 'Ah. Uh, guys - they shouldn't be too long. Let's leave 'em to it.'

'Hey, guys?' said Modo, slightly desperately.

'Sorry, big man, you're on your own,' said Throttle. Within seconds there was nobody there but Modo and Blue.

'What _happened_?' choked Blue, taking a pair of scissors and slitting the already-ragged trouser leg to the hip.

'Darlin', it's nothin' - Ah got knocked off'f mah bike. Ah was hardly even movin'. Blue? Really, Ah'm fine...' Nothing he said would make her believe him, though, so he sat back and let her clean and bind the cut. It didn't even need sutures. When she was done she sat back on her heels and rested her forehead in her palm in silence. Modo leaned forward, laid a hand on her hair. 'Blue? Babe? What's wrong?' Blue looked up, her eyes like blue glass globes of unshed tears. He pulled her into his arms and held her in silence.

Eventually she spoke. 'Every time you go to war... I think I'm gonna lose you. Like I lost my dad and my mum. I've been trying _so_ hard... so if you come back in pieces I can put you back...' There was a sound like a choke or a sob. '...It doesn't help at all - What am I gonna do if you _really_ get hurt?'

'Ah ain't gonna say it won't happen, Babe.'

'When I can go too - that'll be OK. I can fight for me and mine then. But now... everybody I ever really loved got killed. I don't want you to go too - I'll have lost my last one then.' Modo pulled back a little and looked at her in surprise. She looked a little uncertain. 'What?'

'Nuthin',' he said. He smiled, then he kissed her, a gentle, lingering kiss that made everything alright for as long as it lasted. 'Just... Ah love you too. So you ain't gotta worry 'bout me no more.'

Blue sniffed. 'Why not?'

'Cuz Ah'm comin' back _every_ time if Ah gotta crawl from Deimos. Ah promise.'

Blue smiled, a wobbly smile like sunlight through water, and curled up on Modo's lap, tucking her head into the soft place just under his shoulder where she fitted so well. She was still worried about him - but the worry could wait, for a while.

Blue was woken on her eighteenth birthday by a knock on her door - one that said that the person knocking was simultaneously trying to wake her and not disturb her. She grinned sleepily into her pillow. 'Whoozit?'

'Blue? Darlin'? You up, babe?'

She sat up, pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes and smoothed down the T-shirt she slept in. 'I'm decent, Modo, you can come in.' The door opened and he looked into the room, smiling nervously. Blue held out her arms. 'Heyyy - it's my big fuzzie. What time is it?'

''Bout half eight,' said Modo, crossing the room to hug her. 'Ah just wanted to come say happy birthday afore the others got here.'

'Yeah, well, you did it - you even beat Beretta.'

Modo looked embarrassed. 'Beretta's... with Stoke.'

'Oh, OK. That explains why she didn't wake me up last night. But there's something wrong here...'

Modo looked panicky. 'What?'

'You're talking too much.'

She caught his face between her hands and drew him down for a kiss. She felt the rumble of laughter rather than heard it, and the warmth of his arms around her and the gentle pressure of his mouth on hers - then he kissed her on the edge of her ear and murmured, 'Happy birthday, darlin'. Ah love you.'

'Mmm...' Blue curled up in his arms. 'Love you too - my best big fuzzie. I'm liking this birthday already...'

'You gonna like it even more later. Ah got a message for you - once you're up, you go straight to th' bike shed. Flash's got one helluva birthday present for you.'

So first port of call when she was up, dressed and breakfasted was the bike shed. Vinnie was waiting outside for them, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed, trying to look grouchy and failing miserably.

'Morning, Whiteass,' said Blue cheerfully.

'Hey, Blue,' said Vinnie, sauntering up and giving her a quick hug. 'Leaving me behind again, huh?'

Blue frowned. 'You really feel that bad about it?'

Vinnie shrugged. 'I got a year and a half to wait. Hell, I got my training bike early, I might get my battle bike early. So I ain't gonna deny a beautiful woman a beautiful bike.'

'Hey bro, this ain't _your_ beautiful woman,' said Modo, mock threateningly.

'As far as I recall, I'm _my_ beautiful woman,' said Blue innocently. 'We going in?'

It seemed like everyone was waiting with Flash and Stoker - in reality it was just Flare, Beretta and Throttle, but the shed seemed to be filled with people.

'Blue Skies!' crowed Flash. 'Looking forward to having a bike you don't have to threaten?'

'You bet,' said Blue.

'Do I detect a little resentfulness in that comment, Flash?' said Stoker.

Flash shrugged and waved towards the back of the room. 'Through there, kid. Got some nice shinies for you. Off you go.'

Blue glanced nervously at Modo in the sudden silence. He smiled and nodded and she went up to the row of bikes. There were four there and she wasn't entirely surprised to see that two of them were blue. One of them, an Excelsior 'Fallen Angel' in a rich, velvety midnight, cocked its headlight at her - if it were a mouse it would be raising an inquiring eyebrow. Blue considered it, then moved on. The one on the far end of the row caught her eye - a silver-grey Deimos Rune 790K, all smooth lines and sleekness that made it look like a ghost motorcycle. Blue walked up to it and watched it for a bit. She could tell the bike was trying not to look as though it was watching her. After a while she said, 'You're not fooling anyone, you know.' Someone behind her muttered, but she ignored them and the bike turned its headlamp on her. It was trying to look innocent. Blue grinned. 'Oh, come on. The cool act is really pathetic. Drop it, it's not doing you any favours.' The headlamp turned away. Blue laughed. 'Give it a rest, sweetie. C'mon, I think we'd get on like a house on fire - you know, screams, flames, people running for safety...' The headlamp turned back and the bike revved in short bursts. 'Is that settled then? Great, let's you and me go set Mars alight.' Blue got on the bike and rode it out of the ranks. Then she caught the look on Stoker's face. 'What?'

'Uh, nothing,' he said. 'It's just - I never heard a bike laugh before...'

Flash slapped her on the back. 'Well done, Blue Skies. My faith in you is restored.'

'As if you ever really doubted me,' said Blue sweetly.

Blue introduced her bike to Modo's a little later - she didn't think they had any concept of companionship but thought it was worth a try.

'It's a nice bike,' said Modo. He was sitting on the floor in the garage with his back to the wall and his arm around Blue, and the war seemed an eternity away.

'Yeah,' she said. 'A bike I can have a laugh with.' She sighed happily. 'This has been a really great birthday. I wish I could stay this way forever.'

Modo didn't say anything for a few minutes. When he spoke, it was as though he'd been rehearsing the words in his head for some time. 'Blue - Ah can't make it be your birthday ferever an' Ah can't promise Ah c'n make you happy all the time...'

Blue sat up and looked him searchingly in the face. 'Modo - honey, is something wrong?'

'No - no - Blue, just hear me out, yeah?' Blue nodded. 'We ain't got much here - we ain't rich or anything, an' there's always the war. But Ah just want it to be so's whatever happens, you always got me.'

'Yeah, but - I knew that.'

'No, Ah mean - properly.' Modo took a deep breath and Blue waited, a little concerned, while he sorted his thoughts. He took both her hands in both of his. 'Ah been waitin' fer a while t' say this, till we were both of us old enough - but we got our lives ahead of us. We don't know what's gonna happen but if bad stuff happens maybe we c'n deal with it together; Ah mean, Ah ain't got a lot to offer but Ah- Ah'm just sayin'...' He took a deep breath. 'Marry me, Blue?'

Blue gaped at him. He took her silence for rejection and started to defend himself. 'Ah mean, Ah know Ah'm not clever or handsome or anything and Ah-'

She kissed him hard, cutting off the sentence. 'You're _perfect_,' she growled. 'Of course I'll marry you. You big _silly_.'

_Five years ago_

'Well, who'da thunk it?' said Vinnie while they waited in the mess hall with the rest of the guests.

'_I'd_ have thunk it,' replied Throttle. 'Could be the saving of them both. She needs someone to take care of her but he needs someone who won't let him wrap her in cotton wool.'

'Yeah, I guess. Could also be a match made in hell, though.'

Throttle thought about it. Modo and Blue had been inseperable for nearly a year now and then he had proposed just after Blue's eighteenth birthday and had gone around with a silly grin for a month when she accepted.

'Nah,' he said. 'Not this one.'

'If you say so, bro. Hey, here they come.'

Blue and Modo entered the hall from opposite doors, both looking happy, nervous and very clean. The water shortage had meant that the washing away of the former life had had to be done with dry cleansers, but the meaning was the same. They met in the middle of a ring of people, as many witnesses as could be found - there were even a few people from the Army here. Stoker patted them both on the shoulder and said, 'Right, then, we're here, we can start. Ahem. Ladies and gentlemice, all of us here have come to witness the marriage of Modo and Blue. We are here so that everyone can say that we saw, and we heard, and we know what they said to each other here. Because while we are at war, the safest place for the records of family and friends are in our hearts and minds. One day maybe we will be able to write their names together for eternity, but for now we will watch, so we can tell our children that we were here and it was so. Modo and Blue.'

There was silence for a moment, then Modo spoke. 'Blue. The universe is a big, lonely place an' it don't care how much you get hurt. You been livin' most of your life by that but now you don't gotta cuz Ah care an' Ah love you an' Ah'll protect you till Ah ain't got breath to raise mah head. Ah remember when you tole me you couldn't rely on anyone but yourself. When the day comes when you can't rely on me no more that should be the same day Ah die. Ah don't know what the future'll bring an' Ah'm not perfect. All Ah can offer you is the best that Ah can be fer the rest of both our lives.'

In the crowd of watchers, Flare started to sob gently. Blue bit her lip and, after a couple of false starts, replied. 'Oh, Modo... If my daddy could see me today - who knows, maybe he can - he would be so proud that I've found a mouse like you. As far as I'm concerned you _are_ perfect. But this universe is a terrible place and I will protect you to the hilt and beyond, and if anyone tries to hurt you in any way they'll have to cut me down to get to you. Yeah, I can rely on myself. You can rely on me too. Till the bitter end, I swear. I'm not perfect either, but I'll do my best and if your faith in me turns out to be misplaced then I may as well be dead. The future's uncertain, but I'm pretty sure I'll always love you.'

'Love means a lot of things,' said Stoker. 'It means taking the good with the bad. Do you understand?'

'Yes,' said Modo and Blue together.

'It means that you must protect them but you must also let them fight for themselves. Do you understand?'

'Yes.'

'It means being there when they need you, a family even without blood ties, a home for eternity. Do you understand?'

'Yes.'

'Then we have all seen and heard, all here know that Blue and Modo were two, now they're one, and may their road always be easy. Ride free!'

And as the crowd erupted in a deafening cheer of 'Ride free!', Modo swept Blue into his arms and kissed her.


End file.
